Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine cross-talk interactions of soluble sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose) and infection caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lupini on the synthesis of genistein in embryo axes of Lupinus luteus L.cv. Juno. Genistein is a free aglycone, highly reactive and with the potential to inhibit fungal infection and development of plant diseases. As signal molecules, sugars strongly stimulated accumulation of isoflavones, including genistein, and the expression of the isoflavonoid biosynthetic genes. Infection significantly enhanced the synthesis of genistein and other isoflavone aglycones in cells of embryo axes of yellow lupine with high endogenous sugar levels. The activity of β-glucosidase, the enzyme that releases free aglycones from their glucoside bindings, was higher in the infected tissues than in the control ones. At the same time, a very strong generation of the superoxide anion radical was observed in tissues with high sugar contents already in the initial stage of infection. During later stages after inoculation, a strong generation of semiquinone radicals was observed, which level was relatively higher in tissues deficient in sugars than in those with high sugar levels. Observations of actin and tubulin cytoskeletons in cells of infected embryo axes cultured on the medium with sucrose, as well as the medium without sugar, showed significant differences in their organization.
Highlights
Genistein (C15H10O5, 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone) is a fascinating molecule, attracting the attention of researchers due to its broad spectrum of its biological activity in plants, and in the human organism
The level of genistein in these tissues was higher in axes cultured in vitro on the medium with sucrose (+Sn) than in axes cultured with monosaccharides (+Gn or +Fn)
Post-infection accumulation of genistein was found at successive time points after inoculation in axes cultured on the medium with sucrose and monosaccharides, i.e., glucose and fructose
Summary
Genistein (C15H10O5, 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone) is a fascinating molecule, attracting the attention of researchers due to its broad spectrum of its biological activity in plants, and in the human organism. Plant-origin genistein in animals and human body cells acts as an anticancer, antibacterial and spasmolytic substance, but it has antioxidant and hypotensive effects [1]. Genistein as a natural isoflavonoid phytoestrogen, is a strong inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinases [2]. Increased or aberrant expression of tyrosine kinases impact on tumor development and progression. This bioactive aglycone can affect metabolism, i.e., the kinetics of insulin binding to cell membranes [3], leptin secretion–an important factor regulating the energetic status of the whole organism [4]. In plant cells the physiological function of genistein has been established, it is a free aglycone of isoflavonoid origin capable of inhibiting the development of infections and diseases caused by pathogenic fungi [5]. Elucidation of the biosynthesis of numerous phytoalexins, including genistein, has facilitated the use of molecular biology tools in the exploration of the genes encoding enzymes of their synthesis pathways and their regulators [23]
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